Jar from Traveling Dressing Case
Medium
containers
Classification
containers
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Danny J. H. Kauffman
Accession Number
1984-133-11-a,b
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Behold the elegant *Jar from Traveling Dressing Case crafted in 1875 by Thomashouse, a British maker active from 1848 1898. This delicate container exemplifies the refined functional art of the Victorian era, when portability met luxury for the elite traveler. Part of a dressing case—a compact vanity set for grooming essentials on the go—Whitehouse's jar reflects the meticulous craftsmanship of 19th-century British workshops, where everyday objects were elevated to art through precise form and subtle ornament. Traveling dressing cases like this one were status symbols during the height of the...